Here’s some statistics that are sure to trigger anger: Laguna province has received a total of P9 billion in flood-control projects over the past years.
In San Pedro City alone, P1.458 billion has been allocated for flood-control projects under the General Appropriations (GAA) from 2023 to 2025, based on data collected by OpinYon Laguna’s research team.
And yet in Barangay Landayan, flooding has become, unfortunately, a part of everyday life for its residents.
Millions allocated
This, despite the millions in funds under the 2023-2025 GAA that were ostensibly allocated to flood-control projects in Barangay Landayan alone.
For instance, in 2023, P30 million was allocated for the "Rehabilitation of Flood Mitigation Structure" in Landayan Creek, which flows out to Laguna de Bay.
Then in 2024, another P100 million was allocated for the "Rehabilitation of Revetment along Landayan Waterways (near Landayan Road)."
By the way, that project was awarded to Amethyst Horizon Builders and General Contractors, one of the companies linked to the controversial couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya.
Another P5 million was allocated for that year for the construction of a drainage canal system in that barangay.
In 2025, Amethyst Horizon Builders bagged another P40.6-million contract for the "Construction of River Protection Structure, Landayan Creek near Boundary."
A total of P100 million was also allocated for the rehabilitation of the road and drainage system from Barangay Cuyab to Barangay Landayan.
Months-long floods
During a “flood-control summit” in San Pedro City held last September, officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) claimed that their own check showed “no ghost projects” in San Pedro City.
(By the way, that was the last time officials of the DPWH gave any statement on the issue of flood control, as they have become incommunicado and unresponsive to local media since then.)
But, the real question should be: are these projects really effective in controlling floods? Or were these projects funded simply to enable government officials to rake in hundreds of millions of pesos in kickbacks?
At ground zero, most of these projects crumble at the slightest floods or worse, collapse even before the rains pour down.
Take a look at Barangay Landayan, parts of which has been submerged in floodwater since monsoon rains pummeled Laguna province last July.
Particularly hard-hit are portions of Purok 4 and the area near the Landayan Elementary School, where residents have had to use boats or wade in knee-deep waters just to get to the higher portions of the barangay.
Photos and videos submitted by OpinYon Laguna’s research team in August and September reveal that not only have the floods not receded, the situation has remained fairly “stationary” in past months.
Nowadays, Landayan’s residents dread the passing of rains, knowing that this means the floods will remain, or worse, get higher.
Schooling affected
Not only has the situation affected the daily lives of residents, it has also affected the daily activities of students and teachers at the Landayan Elementary School.
Last August, for example, school authorities were forced to conduct limited face-to-face classes at the Via Crucis (next to the site of the future “Pilgrim Church” of the Lolo Uweng Shrine) and the Wekwek Evacuation Center.
Barangay officials have placed temporary steel walkways to the school to ensure that students and teachers won’t have to wade through knee-deep waters just to get to the school.
Face-to-face classes have resumed inside the main campus of Landayan Elementary School – but that doesn’t mean that life has gone back to normal for students.
Early last week, photos and videos shared by various netizens lamented what they called the "sorry state" of Landayan Elementary School three months after the monsoon rains.
The now-viral posts showed the school grounds, particularly the covered court, covered in what appeared to be green slime.
"Kailan kaya babalik sa dati ang Landayan Elementary School?" was how netizen Analyn Egasan summarized the frustration of residents of Barangay Landayan, who probably now have to face Christmas submerged in floodwaters.
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